On Friday June 8th 2012, Tracy Panton, CEO of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, signed a contract for BZ $142,130.16 with Mr. Liam Stewart of Cayo Steel Works for the construction of the new Xunantunich ferry.
The new ferry will retain much of the characteristics of the iconic hand-cranked ferry which has faithfully served tourists and local visitors for over 3 decades. The ferry currently transports around 50, 000 visitors a year and up to 300 visitors a day on peak days, with the assistance of the strong arms of the Institute of Archaeology ferry captains! Funded through the Sustainable Tourism Program (STP) the new ferry will have a larger capacity to assist visitor flow, incorporate improved safety measures and include motorized assistance to the traditional hand-crank operations.
Cayo Steel Works Ltd. was incorporated in Belize in 2001, and has vast experience as a local supplier and manufacturer of steel engineered products. Â Mr. Stewart is excited to be selected for this project and has his materials ready to go, with completion and final installation of the ferry anticipated within 3 months.
